The study of fermentation may not sound intriguing at first, but the science behind the subject that shapes our cheeses, wines and breads has drawn plenty of people to learn more.

Just ask Robert Poland, co-founder of MouCo Cheese Co., who gave up his dream of being a rock star to study fermentation.

Poland got his first glimpse of fermentation at a young age when his elementary school teacher Charlie Papazian, author of “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing,” introduced him to bacteria.

By the age of 16, Poland was working in a bakery and learning about the science of fermentation. Poland attended the University of Colorado, but, more concerned with playing music, he dropped out.

Eventually his passion for fermentation took over his love of music and he bought every book he could on fermentation. That led to a job with New Belgium Brewing Co. running the fermentation department.

“Once I got into beer and fermentation, I bought and owned everything (books). I was addicted to the science of fermentation,” Poland said. “I did my own schooling.”

After a decade working with the fermentation of beer, Poland opted to become his own boss starting MouCo Cheese Company with his wife.

While Poland learned fermentation though self-training and on the job experience, a new proposed degree at CSU would provide students the training to follow in Poland’s footsteps.

Fermentation science and technology major

Chris Melby, CSU professor and department head for the department of food science and human nutrition, and Tiffany Weir, food science and human nutrition assistant professor, have kept a tight lid on the proposal for a new major in fermentation science and technology.

They didn’t want a flood of students trying to sign up for the Bachelor of Science degree that may never come to fruition. There is that much demand for the proposed degree that still has at least four steps to go through before it is added to the 2013 fall semester offerings.

If the major is approved, CSU would be the first university in the Rocky Mountain region to offer such a specialized degree and could be one of three universities in the United States to have an undergrad program in food and beverage fermentation.

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The program would prepare students not just for the beverage and food industry, but also in the science of human health and the fermentation process that takes place inside the human body, said Melby, who noted the major fits nicely with his department’s purpose.

The degree has been about a year in the works. Melby said staff identified fermentation as a hot topic at a retreat. The department agreed it wanted to broaden the area and the new major was born.

The rise of people fermenting their own food is tied to two trends. One is the health food market as people look to eat natural healthy foods. Second is the shift toward local as people are buying into community-supported agriculture as opposed to buying from corporate stores, Weir said.

While approved by the University Curriculum Committee, the degree still has to go through multiple steps before it is implemented including dean and Board of Governors approval.

The degree is projected to have 80 students its first year and draw new students to the school in the long run, which would lead to hiring more teachers.

More than just beer

Many tend to think of beer when they think of fermentation, however, the proposed major would have far-reaching implications in a variety of different industries across Colorado and the country.

Aside from beer, fermentation could benefit the dairy, wheat, beef, pork, lamb, grape, hop and barley industries. Northern Colorado is home to 10 breweries as well as MouCo Cheese Co., Leprino Foods and Noosa Yoghurt that could benefit from the degree. Other Colorado companies include bread makers such as Udi’s, which involve fermentation.

The proposed degree has received letters of support from Anheuser Busch, New Belgium Brewing Co., Odell Brewing Co., MillerCoors, Knudsen Beverage Consulting and Leprino Foods.

Doug Odell, co-owner of Odell Brewing Co., said they have hired three CSU graduates from the brewing science and technology class and thinks the brewery could benefit from the fermentation science degree.

“I’d like to see it because I think it would help benefit the beer business in Colorado and also the Colorado local breweries as far as being able to find quality people,” Odell said.

Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium, said currently a lot of the brewery’s specialists in fermentation come from the University of California-Davis, which offers courses in fermentation.

Even Poland, the self-taught fermentation expert, is in support of the program and ready to partner with CSU if possible, including tours that he has already given CSU staff and students.

“Almost all cheese-making folks are now are trained in some sort of culinary science ... we are looking for people that are overly passionate about what we do,” he said. “Northern Colorado is a hot food spot ... it’s incredible in Colorado and Northern Colorado between breweries, cheese making and some of other fermentation such as sauerkraut or pickles.”